Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-05
A CIRCUS MAN
TALKS ABOUT THE INTERSTATE CON
MERGE BILL.
The Effect Of the Measure on Big Show
The Tours Through the Country
70 be Cut Short.

Mr.. Fred Lawrence, one Of the advance
agents of the Forepaugh show, 10 be here
on Monday next, was in town Tuesday and
a portion of yesterday, periecting arrange
mepts for the arrival and accommodation
of the great circus. An old newspaper man
and entirely conversant with the show bus
mess in general and the circus branch in
particular he was full of interesting infor-
nation, which he impaired freely to those
with whom he came in contact. Toa REG
IsTER reporter he said:
THE Forepaugh season on the road will
be a short one. We are now in the East.
and will reach Wheeling over the Balti-
more and Ohio. From here we will do the
Ohio towns along the road as far as Chi
cage, and then ill number OF dates in
Michigan. Early in June We will re-
turn to the East, and will settle down on
Staten Island, within easy reach of the
Metropolis, for the balance of the season.
We had contemplated All extensive tour,
but the Interstate Commerce bill hits US
very hard. As a matter of fact, under the
provisions of this measure, our trapspOrta-
ton expenses have jumped from about $500
per day to 81 500 and that ia more than
the Forepaugh show, or any other one, can
pay. The thing is prohihitOry, and we
have shortened up our route, and will get
back East Just as soon as We possibly can.
1T is impossible to make decent and
fair arrangement with the roads. We
have our own cars and train hands, load
and unload ourselves, and all we ask of the
railroad companies is a locomotive and en-
gineer to run it. but yet
they squeeze rs in terrible way. There
ought to be some better plan. Before the
| Interstate Commerce bill was brought
into the world we got our people through
on the cars free, but now its three cents a
mile for every mothers son of 'em. We
have two hundred and fifty men, and you
can easily see what difference that item
alone makes to our treasurer. What big
aggregation like Forepaugh wants, is IL
run its own locomotives, and simply get
the right to run its trains over the tracks
of railroad companies, but Mt present tn,
corporations won't hear of anything of this
sort.
'Do you think the season will be Il good
one for the show, under the changed cir
cumstances?'
ooh, yes, we will do as well as upon the
road In the first place, when we get set
tied down at Staten Island, our expenses
will be comparative light, while We will
have no end of people TO draw on. The
whole State of New Jersey, New York
City, Brooklyn, Long Island and the innu
merable cities and town around are right
at hand, with an aggregate population Of
four or five millions The fare to Staten
Island il only nickel from the city,
and that makes visit there about rs CHEAP
as three-blOck ride on street car. Bul'
falo Bill and his Wild West did very well
there, and we will do far better, for ON
Wild West is better than his, and it Is
only one feature Of the show"
'Do you notice any change i'll the taste
of the people, as regards amusements?"
"NO; it's about the same old thing, eX
cept as regards base ball. The entire ma
ton seems TO be crazy on that subject
and the people, especially in the big cities
can get enough of it. Audiences of five
to ten thousand TO see League game art
getting an everyday thing now, and from
prospects the crowds next year will be-
doubled. The term National game wa
never more deserved"